Set top box having light pipe bracket
A light pipe bracket (6) for an electronic device is provided that comprises a planar main body, light pipes (13) each having a proximal end and a distal end in which the light pipe extends from the distal end at the planar main body toward the distal end, and circuit board holding means (7) that support at least a portion of a circuit in the electronic device.
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This application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. §365 of International Application PCT/US2012/042494, filed Jun. 14, 2012, which was published in accordance with PCT Article 21(2) on Dec. 20, 2012 in English and which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/496,623, filed Jun. 14, 2011.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to an electronic device such as a set top box having light pipes.
BACKGROUNDConsumer demand for electronic devices which are more powerful and sophisticated and are yet quiet, compact, and robust has not been satisfied. However, the reality is that modern electronic products packaging continues to evolve towards lower cost parts, lower cost assembly techniques, and simpler assemblies. Meeting the consumer demand remains a difficult challenge in light of the electronic industry evolution.
Products, such as set top boxes, digital versatile disk players, game consoles, and computing devices have evolved to a point where often these products utilize a structure that packages all electronic components on a single printed circuit board. Included in this packaging may be one or more indicator lights, usually utilizing light emitting diodes (LEDs).
While light sources are easily placed on the circuit board, they are small and do not have any light focusing capabilities in and of themselves. Therefore, to better project the light to the outside through a front panel, structures known as light pipes are employed. However, these light pipes are often individually connected to each light source assembly or may be grouped in sets that connect to each light source assembly. In both cases, separate mechanical components are created and used for these light pipes which increases the number of parts and increases the cost for the product. This trend can be in contrast to an integrated solution. For example, a separate mechanical frame structure is often needed for the location and retention of the printed circuit board assembly itself in the mechanical package. Additionally, the light pipes are each separate mechanical structures.
Because light sources and associated parts in many types of electronic devices increase costs and the number of parts, a need exists for a light pipe system that is integrated into a larger mechanical assembly as a single component.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present embodiments are directed to a mechanical assembly having the beneficial structural aspects of retaining, supporting, and integrating one or more light pipes into the mechanical assembly. More specifically, the one piece mechanical assembly is a light pipe bracket, which allows the light pipes to guide light and isolate the light where needed, and which further holds at least one printed circuit board mechanically in place.
The light pipe bracket can be for an electronic device and can comprise a planar main body; and a light pipe or pipes each having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the light pipe or pipes extending from the proximal end at the planar main body toward the distal end. The proximal end of a light pipe can be positioned in an aperture of the planar main body and a plurality of support bars can extend from an edge of the aperture to a periphery of the proximal end, thereby supporting the light pipe. The distal end is a light entrance end and the proximal end is a light exit end. The light pipe bracket can comprise a plurality holding means such as ribs or slots in the planar main body for supporting a printed circuit board in the electronic device.
Other embodiments of the invention are directed toward an electronic device such as a set top box that comprises a base frame; a first printed circuit board over the base frame in which the first printed circuit board has a front edge; two opposing frame side walls extending perpendicularly from the base frame in which each of the frame side walls can optionally have a clip receiving aperture; a rear frame wall extending perpendicularly from the base frame; a light source positioned between the two opposing frame side walls; and a light pipe bracket. The light pipe bracket can comprises a planar main body; a light pipe having a proximal end and a distal end in which the light pipe extends from the distal end at the planar main body toward the distal end and the light source is positioned at the distal end; and holding means on the planar main body in which the holding means engage the front edge of the first printed circuit board, thereby supporting at least a portion of the first printed circuit board. The light pipe bracket can optionally comprise a retention clip extending from the planar main body in which the retention clip engages the clip receiving apertures of the frame side walls, thereby supporting the light pipe bracket. The proximal end of the light pipe can be positioned in an aperture of the planar main body and a plurality of support bars can extend from an edge of the aperture to a periphery of the proximal end, thereby supporting the light pipe. The device can include a plurality of the light pipes, wherein each of the light pipes can be positioned in an aperture of the planar main body and be supported by a plurality of the support bars. Also, a lens can be positioned at each of the distal ends. The light pipe bracket can further comprise base engaging protrusions that extend downward from the planar main body, wherein the base engaging protrusions are positioned into slots of the frame base to secure at least part of the bracket in the device. The device can have a second printed circuit board between the first printed circuit board and the frame base. The second printed circuit board can be supported by posts on the frame base. The light sources can be on light source assemblies and these can be on the first or second printed circuit board. One of the printed circuit boards can further comprise an upper circuit board structure and a lower circuit board structure that are parallel to one another and connected through a central connecting portion in central regions of the upper and lower circuit board structures. The front edge of the first printed circuit board that the holding means holds can be a front edge of the upper board structure and additional holding means on the planar main body can support a front edge of the lower board structure. Also, one of the printed circuit boards can be a main circuit board and another printed circuit board can be a daughter printed circuit board. Additional features include at least a portion of the second printed circuit board being supported by posts on the base frame. Other features include the planar main body and a front lens at the proximal end of the light pipe being black tinted.
The invention will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings in which:
In one embodiment, the printed circuit board 3 can be a two component printed circuit board having an upper circuit board structure 3a and a lower circuit board structure 3b which can generally be parallel to one another and connect by a central connecting portion 3c in central regions of the upper and lower structures 3a, 3b. The upper circuit board structure 3a can have the front edge that engages the ribs 7. The second component can be the lower circuit board structure 3b which can have a front edge as well that can rest on the additional ribs 16, whereby the additional ribs support the front half of the lower circuit board structure 3b as shown in
Although the preferred holding means for the edge of the circuit board are ribs 7, because they work in concert with circuit boards having straight edges, other holding means are considered within the spirit of the invention such as slots 30 in the bracket 6 which can receive and hold the front or leading edge of the circuit board as shown in
The light sources 25 can be positioned outside or inside of the light pipes. In some embodiments, the light sources can be centered along the longitudinal axes of the light pipes when the light entrance windows are at least a portion of the slanted distal ends of the light pipes as shown in
In sum, the light pipe bracket 6 shown in the various views are most beneficially utilized in a set top box, video player, gaming device, or other electronic devices utilizing light sources 24. The light sources 24 are preferably light emitting diodes that are mechanically located some distance from a front panel 22 of the finished device. In sum, the mechanical embodiments described above provide the features of a one piece light pipe bracket 6 that can isolate the multiple light pipes and provides a secondary function of holding the printed circuit boards. The light pipe bracket not only guides the light from the LEDs toward the front of the device, but it also helps hold the front of at least one printed circuit board. The light pipes can be held with at least two support bars 20 or small posts of plastic, but preferably two support bars or small posts support each of the light pipes to isolate the light to the three pipes alone. This assists in eliminating the spread of light throughout the bracket that causes unwanted illumination in certain places. By using one clear piece as the light pipe bracket having the multiple functionalities can assist is reducing costs, because it can reduce the number parts and can simplify manufacturing.
The foregoing illustrates only some of the possibilities for practicing the invention. Many other embodiments are possible within the scope and spirit of the invention. It is, therefore, intended that the foregoing description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that the scope of the invention is given by the appended claims together with their full range of equivalents. For example, although many of the features of the invention are described within the context of two printed circuit boards in which the first board is a daughter board, the invention can be utilized in devices having a single circuit board or in systems where the first circuit board is the main circuit. Additionally, the invention can be utilized in devices having one or any number of light pipes. Further, light pipes having distal ends which are not slanted and/or light pipes having cross sections which are circular or not circular are considered within the scope of the invention.
Claims
1. An electronic device comprising:
- a base frame;
- a first printed circuit board over the base frame, the first printed circuited having a front edge;
- two opposing frame side walls extending perpendicularly from the base frame;
- a rear frame wall extending perpendicularly from the base frame;
- a light source positioned between the two opposing frame side walls;
- a light pipe bracket comprising: a planar main body being perpendicular to the base frame and opposing the rear frame wall said planar main body having at least one aperture; a light pipe having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end is positioned in the at least one aperture, the light pipe extending from the planar main body toward the distal end, the light source positioned at the distal end;
- a plurality of support bars extending from an edge of the at least one aperture to a periphery of the proximal end in the same plane as the planar main body, thereby supporting the light pipe; and
- holding means on the planar main body, the holding means engaging the front edge of the first printed circuit board, thereby supporting the first printed circuit board.
2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein each of the frame side walls comprises:
- a clip receiving aperture; and
- the light pipe bracket further comprises retention clips extending from the planar main body, the retention clips engaging the clip receiving apertures of the frame side walls, thereby supporting the light pipe bracket.
3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the light pipe bracket further comprises base engaging protrusions that extend downward from the planar main body, the base engaging protrusions being positioned into slots of the base frame.
4. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of the light pipes, each of the light pipes being positioned in an aperture of the planar main body and supported by a plurality of the support bars.
5. The electronic device of claim 4, further comprising a lens at at least one of the distal ends.
6. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a second printed circuit board between the first printed circuit board and the base frame.
7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the base frame comprises posts that support the second printed circuit board.
8. The electronic device of claim 6, further comprising:
- a plurality of the light pipes;
- a plurality of light sources; and
- a light source assembly associated with each of the plurality of light pipes, each of the light source assemblies supporting one of the plurality of light sources, the light source assemblies being disposed on the second printed circuit board.
9. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein one of the first or second printed circuit boards further comprises an upper circuit board structure and a lower circuit board structure connected through a central connecting portion in central regions of the upper and lower circuit board structures.
10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the front edge of the first printed circuit board that the holding means holds is a front edge of the upper board structure and additional holding means on the planar main body supports a front edge of the lower board structure.
11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the second printed circuit board is supported by posts on the base frame.
12. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein one of the first or second printed circuit boards is a main circuit board and another printed circuit board is a daughter printed circuit board.
13. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the planar main body is tinted black.
14. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a front lens at the proximal end of the light pipe.
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- Search Rept:Sep. 20, 2012.
Type: Grant
Filed: Jun 14, 2012
Date of Patent: Mar 21, 2017
Patent Publication Number: 20140340928
Assignee: THOMSON LICENSING (Issy les Moulineaux)
Inventors: Christopher Michael William Proctor (Westfield, IN), Joseph Lee Carpenter (Noblesville, IN)
Primary Examiner: Andrew Coughlin
Application Number: 14/125,960
International Classification: A41F 1/00 (20060101); G02B 6/36 (20060101); F21V 8/00 (20060101); H05K 5/00 (20060101); G02B 6/32 (20060101); H05K 1/02 (20060101);